Who is roots manuva

Back in the day you only had a four-track. There is a lot more music that has the lyric — even if there is no words in it — the lyric and the motif and the hook is coming from the clash of samples or synths. To me, a good beat is one that actually leaves the space for words to breathe. You said before that you are more playing with a live band now as opposed to DJs or whatever.

The positives are that the recordings are just a reference point to work up from and you can literally do a live remix of the recordings. That is the only drawback. I am trying to get the perfect blend of the organic and the machines together. I love the spirit of it. Just like I like punk records. Are you looking forward to making records for the next 20, 30, 40 years, being a septuagenarian MC? Or do have other ambitions that you want to do outside of music? Ooh, I would love to make records for 30 years, that would be great.

That is a proper dream. I probably am. I got into music and the whole studio, the application of the studio… I wanted to do it because I thought I could make a living from making music for adverts.

And that is what I wanted to do. But it has been a nice surprise that rapping pays the mortgage. I pay taxes through rapping, which is a very weird concept if you think of 20 years ago. I am just going to ask you, now we live in a very globalized society. I mean, the UK has a really particular sound, you can trace it back from where all the genres mesh. So, what do you think the future that is going to be? Do you believe in maybe a global sound towards that? In rapping or in any kind of music?

It is going to lead to a new language because people are so connected. I am quite excited about that. And I think an event like today shows where that is going. This is quite an incredible thing that you are doing here. No more questions then? So maybe to round things off, you said before that a good beat needs to have the space to let your words breathe, so do you have a pretty good example of that from your last record? Come on, just pick a song. Academy: London Hosted by Davide Bortot Audio Only Version Transcript: Davide Bortot I think we have a bit of a situation now, because this gentleman here just said that, rather than lecturing, he would rather be lectured by you.

Roots Manuva —Juggle Tings Proper. Roots Manuva Oh yeah, there is some horrible records somewhere. Davide Bortot But seriously, do you remember when you first went into a recording studio? Roots Manuva Oh yeah. Davide Bortot But you were there to record lyrics or make music? Roots Manuva We were there to make a noise and experiment with what was there. Davide Bortot Do you remember what James Brown record it was? Davide Bortot So, for all of us who are not from this wonderful city, can you tell us what kind of place Stockwell is like and how you grew up there?

Roots Manuva I was into a bit of everything because growing up it was primarily reggae. Davide Bortot Was that through your parents? Davide Bortot When did you start playing the violin? Roots Manuva I did about a couple of terms on it.

Davide Bortot Can you still play it? Roots Manuva I can still bow. Roots Manuva No, no, that is a true experience. Davide Bortot So, you already touched on that a bit, but do you remember what exactly attracted you to soundsystems? Roots Manuva It was nothing specific. Roots Manuva It was just a fascination with the technology. Roots Manuva Loads, loads, countless people. Roots Manuva I was never any good at an American accent anyway, so it was all in vain.

Davide Bortot Would you agree that musicians, rappers, artists, whatever from the UK had more of a hard time to get accepted amongst their peers back then than they do now? Davide Bortot I know you are a humble person and all of that, but would you agree to a certain amount you contributed to changing that? Roots Manuva In all humbleness [ laughs ]… You just cancelled out your question.

Davide Bortot So, if you see what is happening with a lot of UK-based artists now, does it make you proud and in a way? Roots Manuva They should! Davide Bortot What did your parents think about you speaking over this noise? Roots Manuva My mum always thought I had a refined taste; she likes more melody. Roots Manuva Probably because… there was never an urgency to release an album.

Davide Bortot Maybe we could listen to another record off that particular album, which you chose yourself. Roots Manuva That is such a stupid thing to talk about. Roots Manuva It sounds bright to me. Davide Bortot How did you to do it? Roots Manuva A lot of the night time, I had access to a studio in Brixton, I was just there in the night time. Davide Bortot What kind of equipment did you work on?

Roots Manuva Back then, the guys who own the label, Coldcut , they borrowed me an Akai] S [sampler] and I bought an Atari , and that was basically it. Davide Bortot I think they might never have heard of MiniDisc. Davide Bortot Generally speaking, how do you work on music? Roots Manuva I admire that. Davide Bortot Why is that?

Because it is hard for you to be satisfied with your work? Roots Manuva It always surprises me, because it still interests me now. Davide Bortot Do you have an example of that, something that you would iron out these days? Roots Manuva Not in chart placements. Davide Bortot Maybe we should just play it quickly so people know what we are talking about because this might be a bit cryptic.

Roots Manuva — Witness. Davide Bortot So, who mastered it? Davide Bortot A gift and a curse, I guess. Roots Manuva It was just being out of my comfort zone. Davide Bortot You mentioned before that obviously you were and still are signed to Big Dada records, which is a small independent label.

Roots Manuva Jobs relying on me?! Davide Bortot Was it an option for you to sign to a major label? Davide Bortot So, do you think about those things when you write music? Roots Manuva — Awfully Deep. Roots Manuva Yeah. Roots Manuva The last time I was there I had a very powerful, moving experience.

Davide Bortot Would you consider yourself a Jamaican? Roots Manuva Definitely not. A UK Jamaican maybe, but definitely not a Jamaican. Davide Bortot If you think about it, it is incredible that such a small island can produce such great music and so much influential music as well.

Davide Bortot You were born here in London, when did your parents come here? Davide Bortot I read your father was a preacher, is that true? Roots Manuva Yes, he was a lay preacher. Davide Bortot Did you have a very religious upbringing?

Roots Manuva Not very religious, but the church was the social group or social community activity that I was most attached to. Roots Manuva Definitely. Davide Bortot So, is there an element of your rapping you can somehow compare that to what your father did as a preacher? Davide Bortot What part is it that you most like about rapping? Davide Bortot You like the sound of your own voice? Davide Bortot Do you like the whole traveling part of it? Roots Manuva Not really.

Davide Bortot You mean financially? Davide Bortot Were you surprised when you first played shows outside the UK? Roots Manuva I like the spur of the moment. Roots Manuva It all depends on the circumstances and where you are, and especially with a live band.

Davide Bortot You perform a lot with a guy called Ricky Ranking, is that true? Roots Manuva For me, the subtext of it is the soundsystem. Davide Bortot You seem to be quite fascinated with the whole internet? Roots Manuva I want to learn. Both records were acclaimed by critics and fans alike. In addition, saw the release of "Duppy Writer," Alongside these releases, he contributed to the first Gorillaz record, started up his label-come-gang, Banana Klan, and guested on countless records for other artists.

The records continued to come. Having had music featured in the very first series of Skins back in , when Rodney was asked to compose a track for the very last series, he jumped at the chance. The first results of his latest experiments were astonishing. One of the true pioneers and originals of British music, any album from Roots Manuva is an event. It was supposed to be its own nasty little mutant.

The latest mutation is Bleeds, his ninth studio LP, on which Smith sought to leave his comfort zones, teaming up with eclectic producers — Four Tet, Switch, Fred — and relinquishing control so they could have free rein to cut up, chop and reorder the 60 or so tracks he provided them. This record has a vocal and a lyrical maturity that is good for a cross-section of listeners.

What will get worse is that, as the middle class develops, they will start doing really horrible things to each other, in terms of how sophisticated they can be to vote, or defraud the tax man. The amiable middle class will become the mean, hard bastard class, trying to hang on to their assets. A teacher should have no right to say anything like that. We need both! Then everything else should take care of itself.

Take time to make that my only thing, put as much energy into it as music. Actually go out there, talk to people, help my party become what they need to be. This seems to be the pattern for much of this interview. I gotta go soon! But if he is keen to get this out of the way, he really should try to be less entertaining company.

Wrongtom , who produced versions of seven of the album's cuts for the sake of a two-disc edition, was eventually allowed to do the same with tracks from the entirety of Roots Manuva 's catalog.

The result of this experiment, Duppy Writer , was issued in AllMusic relies heavily on JavaScript. Please enable JavaScript in your browser to use the site fully. Blues Classical Country. Electronic Folk International.

Jazz Latin New Age.